Sell development land in Bath
We consider development land in Bath and across Somerset, from sites close to the BA1 postcode district out towards Neston and Trowbridge.
If you own a field or site on the edge of a settlement, you may be sitting on land a homebuilder wants. We look at the planning history, access and services, then tell you plainly whether we can make an offer and on what basis.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Bath
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Bath at a glance
Bath lies in Somerset, where it is the main town we cover. Nearby, we also look at land around Neston (7 miles), Trowbridge (8 miles) and Kingswood (8 miles).
The Levels and Moors, where flooding and nutrient rules are major planning issues, plus Exmoor, the Mendip Hills, and green belt around Bath.
| Town | Bath |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | BA1 |
| OS grid square | ST76 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Neston (7 mi), Trowbridge (8 mi), Kingswood (8 mi) |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What we look for around Bath
- A safe point of access onto a public road, or a realistic way to create one
- Sites from around a quarter of an acre upwards
- Land outside the highest-risk flood zones, or where flood risk can be designed out
- Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan
Selling development land well depends on matching the deal to the planning position. With permission in place, an outright sale is usually simplest. Without it, a conditional contract or option can share the planning risk fairly.
What decides the value of development land near Bath
Access
A frontage onto an adopted road removes cost and uncertainty; a third party controlling access can cut value sharply.
Number of homes
Value follows how many homes the site can sensibly take once roads, open space and drainage are fitted in.
Planning obligations
Affordable housing, Section 106 contributions and, in some areas, CIL reduce what a buyer can pay for the land.
Ground and drainage
Poor ground, contamination or the need for a pumping station all add build cost that comes off the land price.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Best where permission is already granted and the title is clean.
Subject-to-planning sale
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Option agreements
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Joint ventures
Worth discussing if you want a share of the finished development value.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Planning and legal points for land in Somerset
Planning framework
Planning decisions in England follow the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026, and the local plan, prepared by the council or, in a national park, the park authority. Plans are reviewed periodically, which is when new housing sites are usually allocated.
Section 106 and CIL
Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.
Flood risk
Environment Agency flood maps and the sequential test steer new homes away from areas at highest risk of flooding.
Awkward details we deal with
The site has been refused planning before
A refusal tells us what the council objected to. We read the decision notice and judge whether a different scheme could answer it.
The access is over someone else's land
We check the title for rights of way and, where needed, factor in the cost of buying or negotiating access.
Useful to send us
- The address or postcode
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
Questions from landowners near Bath
Do you buy development land without planning permission?
Yes. Without permission we usually buy on a subject-to-planning contract or an option, so the price reflects value with permission rather than farmland value. If you need a quick, unconditional sale, we can also make an outright offer that reflects the planning risk.
What size of site do you buy?
We look at sites from around a quarter of an acre for a single plot up to large fields on the edge of towns. Size matters less than location, access and planning prospects.
How long does it take to sell development land?
With permission and clean title, a sale can move as fast as the solicitors can complete the legal work. Without permission, timing depends on the planning process, which commonly takes many months and sometimes years for larger sites.
Do you cover the villages around Bath?
Yes. Villages between Bath, Neston and Trowbridge often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Nearby towns
More land we buy in Bath
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Bath
- Development land in Somerset
Get a straight answer about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.